Overview

Desires of the Heart tells the story of two mid-20th century American Lutheran missionaries-Albert and Sylvia Frerichs-and their 40-year call to work in what is now Papua New Guinea. The author, the couple's eldest daughter Catherine, draws extensively from their letters and journals to tell an unvarnished story of idealism, ambition, and sacrifice for a call. Focusing on the period 1937-1951, through her father's personal letters, Frerichs brings us along to witness his first contact experiences and early miss-steps as a well-meaning colonialist. Even though her mother lived in New Guinea for only the last five years of that period, through Sylvia's personal letters, Frerichs shines a light on the complex and sometimes conflicting roles of a young missionary wife and mother. With an unflinching eye, she also shows her parents' evolution into people who saw the New Guineans as equals. Her parents' decision to work in this remote part of the world was not without consequences for their children. Frerichs's own account includes difficult reflections on coming to terms with her own place in her parents' lives. Through them, she offers readers insights into its themes of love and loss, and possibilities for healing.

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